Safety elevator for fire ladders



Feb. 24, 1931. HONlG 1,794,175

SAFETY ELEVATOR FOR FIRE LADDERS Filed March 15, 1929 INVENTQR. Morr'zsHon/3 I" "I, I.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES MORRIS HONIG, OF NEW YORK.N. Y.

SAFETY ELEVATOR FOR LADDERS Application filed March 15, 1929. SerialN0.347,225.

This invention relates generally to new and useful improvements in fireescape devices.

The invention has for an object the provision of a device of the classmentioned, which is of simple durable construction, dependable in useand efiicient in action, and which can be manufactured and sold at areasonable cost.

The invention proposes the use of an elevator, supported by a cableextended over the top rungs of a plurality of rungs holding a pair ofspaced boards in spaced relation.

he rungs are arranged in a longitudinal row in the vicinity of the rearedges of the spaced boards. Guide strips project from the inner faces ofthe boards and serve to guide the said elevator in its movements.

A drum is mounted in the lower portions of the spaced boards andconnects with the said cable.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descript-ionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosureFig. 1 is a side elevational view of a the escape constructed accordingto this invention applied to a portion of a building.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the the escape device.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the top portion ofFig. 2 seen looking inthe direction of the arrows 33. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal sectional view taken on the line 4ti'of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the line 5-5of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail view of the elevator, per se.

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally a building having windows11, and a fire escape device 12 is shown resting against the front ofthe building. The fire escape device includes an elevator 13 arranged tomove'up and down as controlled by a drum 14 manually operable.

The fire escape device has a pair of parallel spaced boards 15 held inspaced relation by a plurality of rungs 16 arranged in a longitudinalirow in the vicinity of the rear edges 17 of the boards '15. These rungsare so spaced that persons may climb up and down in a manner similar tothat of a customary ladder.

Guide strips 18 project from the inner sides of the spaced boards15','and are positioned in front of the rungs, as clearly seen in Fig.These guide strips extend the full length of v the spaced boardsandserve to guide the elevator 13 when said elevator is raised or lowered.I I r The elevator 13 has a floor portion 19, a rear portion 20, ends 21and a central partition 22, forming compartments 2%. These com- 7partments are open at the front and the top and one person maystandwithin each of the compartments. A screw eye 24 projects from thetop of the elevatorand a cable 25 is at-. tached at one of its ends onthis screw, and extends over the top rung of the device and thendownwards onto the drum 14.

The drum 1 1 is supported upon a transverse shaft' 25 rotatively mounted.on the boards 15' and has an extended end provided so with a ratchetwheel 26 engageableby a pawl 27 mounted on one of the boards 15. A crank28 connects with the shaft for manual operation of the drum. I

Pins 29 project from the sides of the ele- 5 vator 13 and engage inlongitudinal grooves 30 formed in the boards 15. A plurality oftransverse auxiliary grooves 31 also formed in the boards communicatewith the grooves '30.

A plunger 32 is slidably mounted thru .the

rear portion 20 of the elevator, oneplunger I for each compartment, andsupports a rail 33 engageable against therungs 16"for force. ing theelevatorforwards upon .Inanualdepression on the plunger head 34 by aperson standing Withinthe compartment. A spring, 35 normally urges theplunger into a retracted position. A collar 36 is fixed uponthe plungerand limitsthe motion of the plunger to its retracted position.

In operation of the device it may be placed against the side of abuilding as shown in Fig. 1 and persons may climb up and down the rungsfor performing rescuing work. In the event that some one is rescued whois overcome with smoke or who is too weak to climb down the rungs, hemay be placed in one of the compartments 23 of the elevator and loweredto the street by proper manipulation of the pawl 27 to permit the drum14 to unwind the cable 25. During descending or ascending of theelevator 13 the plunger 32 may be depressed for causing the rail 33 toact against the rungs and force the elevator frontwards so that the pins29 engage in the transverse grooves 31 and thus hold the elevator in astationary position so as not to depend upon the cable 25 for support.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that. I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my: invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United r States Letters Patent is 1; A fire escape device,comprising a pair of spaced parallel boards having longitudinal groovesand transverse notches joining with said grooves, a plurality of rungsin a longitudinal row connecting said boards and in the vicinity oftheir rear edges, guide strips projecting from the inner faces of saidboards, an elevator slidably mounted on said guide strips, pinsprojecting from the sides of said elevator and engaging in said groovesin said boards and upon slight forward motion of said elevatorengageable in said transverse notches, and means for forcing saidelevator slightly forwards. v

2. A fire escape device, comprising a" pair of spaced parallel boardshaving longitudinal grooves and transverse notches joining with saidgrooves, a plurality of rungs in a longitudinal row connectingsaidboards and in the vicinity of their rear edges, guide strips proj ectingfrom the inner faces of said boards, an

elevator slidably mounted on said guide strips, pins projecting from thesides of said elevator and engaging in said grooves in said boards anduponslight forward motionof said elevator engageable'in said transversenotches, and means for forcing said elevator slightly forwards,-comprising a plunger slidably mounted thru said elevator, a rail on the outerendof said plunger-and adjacent said rungs, and. resilient means forurging the plunger inwards. l 1 a v In testimony whereof I have aflixedmy signature.

. MQRRIS HONIG.

